McDonald’s Blitz Box, fry truck aimed at Chiefs fans

Area McDonald’s restaurants are now a Kansas City Chiefs sponsor. Fans will be the first in the country to try a new McDonald’s fry truck at home games. The area restaurants also are the only ones in the country selling a new sharable meal called the Blitz Box.

McDonald’s and the Kansas City Chiefs are teaming up this season with several first-in-the-country food promotions.

Kansas City and St. Joseph McDonald’s restaurants have signed a four-year sponsorship with the Chiefs and will be playing up the team’s logo in their print, TV, radio and outdoor advertising.

The promotion also will give area customers some firsts — including a new super-size meal meant to be shared and a new McDonald’s food truck handing out free products at home games.

“We want to leverage the Kansas City Chiefs brand with our strong local presence,” said Randy Bates, spokesman for the Heartland Region of McDonald’s. “The Chiefs have a loyal following. And it is still a great value for our customers if the Chiefs win or lose.”

In a statement, Chiefs president Mark Donovan said: “As we get ready for the home opener, knowing that our fans will benefit from how the team performs on the field unifies the connection between our fans and our players.”

The McDonald’s Chiefs 2013 partnership includes:

• McDonald’s Fry Truck: The truck — the only one in the country — will set up in the Chiefs parking lot at home games to hand out free products such as small french fries freshly made on-site or McCafe drinks.

• Blitz Box: Sort of a Happy Meal for adults, the Blitz Box contains two Quarter Pounders with cheese, two medium fries and a 20-piece serving of Chicken McNuggets, for $14.99. At about 2,750 calories it’s meant to be shared and is available any time after breakfast at area McDonald’s.

Some of the proceeds from each box will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City.

• Big Mac for Sacks: When the Chiefs record a sack in any regular season home or away game, McDonald’s customers can pick up a free Big Mac with the purchase of a regular priced one the next day at any of the Kansas City and St. Joseph restaurants. (The Chiefs collected six sacks in Sunday’s 28-2 victory at Jacksonville.)

McDonald’s and the Chiefs also will have eight PLAY 60 events throughout the area. NFL PLAY 60 is the National Football League’s campaign to encourage kids to be active for 60 minutes a day in a fight against childhood obesity.

The promotions — McDonald’s isn’t calling them a test — run through the end of the year. McDonald’s will then evaluate the promotions and adjust them as needed for the next season, Bates said.